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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27514864">Gray (A Good Omens Fanfic)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/VortexSwirl_24/pseuds/VortexSwirl_24'>VortexSwirl_24</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman &amp; Terry Pratchett</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Also I didnt know if Aziraphale or Crowley had families so I invented some, Alternate Universe - War, Angel Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale Loves Crowley (Good Omens), Childhood Friends, Crowley Loves Aziraphale (Good Omens), Crowley is Bad at Being a Demon (Good Omens), Crowley is a Mess (Good Omens), Elementary School, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, High School, I Have No Concept of Regular Updates, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I Wrote This While Listening to Ed Sheeran's Music, I'm Working on About 7 Drafts Right Now, Idiots in Love, Ill try to persevere through this story for you guys, M/M, My First Work in This Fandom, Polite Aziraphale, Protective Crowley (Good Omens), Slow To Update, Tags Are Hard, Tags May Change, Work In Progress, Wow that sounds really bad, because school doesnt understand what a social life is</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-08 04:34:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,060</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27514864</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/VortexSwirl_24/pseuds/VortexSwirl_24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"But Heaven and Hell don't mix! They never have and there's an impossible chance that they'll declare peace any time soon! Crowley you're being irrational..."</p><p>"We'll make it work, Angel. I've known you for years." He said, the alcohol pouring into the glass infront of him waving his hand dismissively at Aziraphale.</p><p>"Crowley! We're like the shades of light and dark! There can be traces of darkness in the light and little spots of colours in the dark but there can't be an even mixture between the two!"</p><p>The demon grinned, taking a long sip of the addictive drink on the table before setting it down again. "I guess we'll just have to be the gray then, eh?"</p><p>Or its a pre-apocolyptic world and theyre both just tryna get by somehow. War AU.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aziraphale &amp; Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Cloudburst's Story and the Seemingly Normal Mr. Crawly</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is the second work on Ao3 I've done and the first in this fandom.</p><p>So basically the AU is long before earth was created when Aziraphale and Crowley were still children with some families I just invented. Heaven and Hell are edging closer and closer to the brink of war which takes its toll on the two worlds accordingly. Pets are taken for training, children are told only propoganda to distill a hate for the opposition in them from a young age and Angels are falling faster than ever before.</p><p>Or Heaven and Hell are going into war and young Aziraphale and Crowley's relationship with each other affects it in different ways sending them on one heck of an emotional rollercoaster ;)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Aziraphale was but a young angel when he met him. You could say the two were "made for each other".</p>
<p>But that would be inaccurate.</p>
<p>It was multiple small events that built up their future. But it wasn't all "planned" per se.<br/>
Most of it was actually coincidental, through small misunderstandings or accidents.<br/>
Some of it however,<br/>
Less than half but more than a quarter,<br/>
Was  really fate. </p>
<p>Their mother had been away for a short time while his two older brothers were trying to teach the family pet, Cloudburst, simple lessons in obendience, often finding that she found joy in other activities including hiding inside or beneath furniture (a common hiding space was in the warmth of Aziraphale's backpack). The boy, dressed in a blue, black and white argyle sweater with charcoal trousers, was the youngest of the three brothers and the by far the kindest.</p>
<p>The oldest brother, Aleistair, who had chesnut coloured messy hair and wore anything that fit him, had come to the conclusion that Aziraphale should observe and 'not interfere with what he doesn't understand' and began to order him out of their game to go 'play some baby game more suitable to your age'</p>
<p>Paxton, the second child who had often showed consideration towards his younger brother and protected Aziraphale from Aleistairs harsh words, protested against it however, because Aleistair was left in charge whilst their mother was out of town for a few hours, his word -no matter how unfair it seemed- tended to go.</p>
<p>And as Alestair says, 'the oldest always knows best'. Strangely enough, he would never tell this 'fact' to either of his parents.</p>
<p>The little angel dragged himself away from the others placing himself on the green swings beside his house that collided with the white and brown colours of the house. Their mother had tried countless times to get rid of it however, most houses were also of a similar colour scheme and besides,<br/>
Paxton and Aziraphale had grown an unexpected emotional attachment to it</p>
<p>She decided to let it be until it began to rust and fell apart. It had been many years since that decision and it showed no signs of age except an unusual nearly silent squeak that sounded out it when you swang too high.</p>
<p>Cloudburst looked thoughtfully in disappointed child's direction, somehow ignoring the fiery argument the two older brothers were having, with a look on her face giving the impression that she was trying to decrypt Aziraphale's emotions. She sat in complete silence which was unusual compared to her normally energetic and carefree self.</p>
<p>After much squabbling and debating, both Paxton and Aleistair believed that he shouldn't intefere with their 'important work' to some extent, even if Paxton was more subtle about his views on the situation.</p>
<p>However, they were both extremely far from the truth.</p>
<p>Aziraphale had decided to carry the Cloud-Puppy hybrid home in his backpack, wrapping the cold, defenseless animal in one of his soft beige sweaters after he'd found the poor animal in weakened and vulnerable state just beneath a number of overgrowing shrubs and bushes in a nearby forest using the sleeves of the shirt to apply pressure to the heavy bleeding and muttering soothing words to calm the victim of the heartless attack.</p>
<p>There were two deep wounds in the animal's side as if it were attacked by a predator, or hunter, who left the animal for dead, luckily not chosing to cause any more damage than what had already been done. </p>
<p>Hastily, Aziraphale returned home with the now family pet Cloudburst and revealed her to their mother who, with vast amounts of luck and lot of bandages, nursed the Cloud-pup back to full health. They kept the animal, naming it Cloudburst because of her cloud-like fur and random bursts of energy that brought much joy to the whole family.</p>
<p>Even if he never truly thought about how he'd saved the Cloud-pup from the brink of death, Cloudburst often did, being unable to communicate her gratitude and appreciation towards Aziraphale. She tried to express her appreciation in other ways, sometimes laying beside him in his bed or sitting beside him in the day when he seemed upset, even when she didn't understand why.</p>
<p>Cloudburst had a strong bond with Aziraphale from that day forward. And it would remain strong years and years after that.</p>
<p>Aziraphale had reflected on what had happened that day, vaguely remembering a loud rustle of leaves nearby but dismissing it as a strong gusta of wind, but he hadn't seen thebright emerald eye watching through the safety of the trees as if the person was observing out of curiosity and had no intention of being caught doing so.</p>
<p>The large woodland of lushious, healthy green trees, were all regularly tended to, by the 'Gardener' Mr. Crawly.</p>
<p>Mr. Crawly was a tall man with fiery hair and eyes with a silver shimmer like the blade of a knife. Usually, regardless of whether he were on the job or not, he was seen wearing a cherry red turtleneck sweater or a long sleeved polo shirt of the same colour or in a light shade of blue with a burgundy tie that had silver swirls interlocking, unravelling and curling around each other in a labyrinth of carefully thought out patterns. No one really knew much of what Mr. Crawly's life was like before he'd move into the area.</p>
<p>How he worked in a business managing finances.<br/>
How he is a former addict who has fought what took a toll on his mental and physical health.<br/>
How his wife had left only years before he'd moved to a less busy part of Heaven, taking up a job in tending to the trees nearby.</p>
<p>But to say he simply tended to them was an understatement.<br/>
He'd speak to them as if they were just another one of his friends</p>
<p>Of course, when others were around (especially his son when he brought him to help out), he'd act like a normal person would, only, watering them, trimming them and then moving onto the next plant, promising in his mind that he would return to them later on.</p>
<p>After the divorce, leaving him with two children to provide care for after the large drop in the sum of money he earned, moving from a big city to a much smaller one, one of his offspring had fallen after being found out for 'a large number of serious criminal offenses across Heaven'.</p>
<p>Tension between Heaven and Hell had increased drastically over the past few decades so the higher-ups, more out of paranoia than fear of betrayal, were less hesitant to allow angels with accusations of evil deeds fall. Suspects were still likely to be declared guilty even when they were allowed to tell their side of the story. Little did they know that this actually didn't do much to shift their final decision.</p>
<p>Despite the announcement of Mr. Crawly's daughter's newly found criminal record, none of the crimes, to Aziraphale's frustration, were named. He was still unsure as to how severe a crime would be to be sentenced to be exiled from the peace and freedom of heaven to live as 'the horrifying beast you disguise under the name of an angel' amongst the demons in the fiery depths of Hell.</p>
<p>He knew petty crimes could sentence you to the 'Nedelin Sentence' (Short for Negligent Delinquency) which could mean hard labour, a month in military work, public shame and a number of other punishments depending on how severe the crime that had been committed is. </p>
<p>Some tended to recieve first option although some were bold enough to speak up against the higher ups and request the latter using the opportunity to let their voice be heard. When this happened, they tended to 'up the shame-factor' of the punishment.</p>
<p>Most who picked public shame by choice tended to fall within a decade of recieving the Nedelin Sentence.<br/>
Most, not all.</p>
<p>Mr Crawly's other child, who shared his flame red hair and height but had shimmering emerald eyes, was of a similar age to Aziraphale, and therefore was in the same class and attended the same Academy. His father had made a conscious effort to shield his son from any bad influences, including destroying any trace of his former sister now fallen, in an effort to ensure that he wouldn't lose everything.</p>
<p>How broken he will be when his precious son, and the only family he has left, grows older.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. A Less Than Ideal Meeting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Due to Cloudburst, Crowley and Aziraphale's path first cross in an unusual way. Their paths won't seperate for a long period of time but despite this, there will be many crossroads leading to new opportunities or bad influences.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The trees were always a beautiful, healthy green colour, growing quickly due to the constant amount of high quality care provided and the daily 'socialisation' Mr. Crawly gave to the plants as a reward for their impressive aesthetics.</p><p>He never got rid of a plant unless absolutely necessary, usually going to extreme lengths to nurse the plants back to health before coming to the realisation that no more could be done for the plant, pronouncing it dead and then burying it in a grave dedicated to it, usually near the trees.</p><p>He hadn't lost a plant since he took the job.</p><p> He also didnt take kindly to people who 'interfered with the delicate beauty of the trees' as they were there to be observed, not ripped apart, vandalised, swung on or even tugged at for fun</p><p> He was completely serious about his plants. Very serious. <cite>Completely, very </cite>serious.</p><p>Cloudburst had nudged Aziraphale awake early during the morning, nodding toward the door. Aziraphale slowly rose from the bed, his whole body protesting against this simple action however, because of Cloudburst's determination to excape the house, he was hurried through alot of the morning routine.</p><p>Finally, after putting something appropriate for an early morning walk, they stepped outside, the glacial blanket of air turning Aziraphale and the Cloud-Pup's , who was panting from excitement, air to steam that rose into the air and disappeared amongst the other gases in the atmosphere.</p><p>Cloudburst didn't have a leash or anything to restrict her from excaping the authority of Aziraphale, but had been trained enough to realise that she should stay within a foot or two of her owner unless otherwise is shown.</p><p>Aziraphale had been walking absent-mindedly for a number of minutes, realising the second he pulled himself from his train of thought that he had unconsciously brought himself to the small, organised forest of trees that were located near a children's park. </p><p>The young angel and his siblings had often played their as children, swinging high and sliding down slides. </p><p>Cloudburst looked upon the rows of trees that gave the illusion that they were more densley packed together and seemed as if it covered a much more vast area, that it really did. The blanket of green above them had small holes letting puddles of light spill through.</p><p>"Ok, Cloudburst," he said in a kind tone, "You can go now"</p><p>Cloudburst ignored him, staring into the distance at a specific bush linked with their first meeting</p><p>She slowly moved towards the bush, sniffing beneath it and barking with a voice that had a hint of sorrow and grief as if the smell of the bush reignited a memory buried deep inside of her mind.</p><p>Aziraphale observed the pet, watching Cloudburst sit quietly almost as I'd she were remembering the day in her own unique minute silence.</p><p> Then, as if she hadn't made the miraculous achievement to stay extremely still and quiet, she bounded towards Aziraphale catching his attention,  then moved towards the boundaries of the trees.</p><p> Aziraphale nodded, pointing into the forest. The Cloud-Pup, now electric and filled to the brim with unused energy, dashed into the shimmering green with newfound bravery and a yearning for adventure.</p><p>Aziraphale thought for a while about the place in which both Cloudburst and him had met.</p><p>
  <cite>Would Mr. Crawly have had to clean the blood from beneath the bush? Did he report the large, surely concerning, volume of blood he must have seen or dismiss it as a wild predator hunting its prey, just following its ancient instincts to draw blood and feed itself and children?</cite>
</p><p>A rustle sounded out above him, causing Aziraphale to look directly upwards into the enourmous trees above him however, he saw nothing thay could've caused it and dismissed it as a stray gust of wind.</p><p>He wandered into the forest, unconsciously following the excited barks that from nearby.</p><p>Another rustle came from the leaves above but this time he ignored it, continuing on into the forest in a way that made him seem as if he didn't feel extremely paranoid that he was being watched at such an early time of day. </p><p> He'd only gone a few steps before he heard it again and, out of frustration and the urge to prove to himself that he were being irrationally paranoid and to calm the strengthening wave of guilt wearing down his sanity and ability to stop himself leaving all together </p><p> What he saw however, wasn't any of the possibilities he played out in his mind. Aziraphale was scared all the same by it.</p><p>The first thing he saw were shimmering green eyes, like emeralds in the light of day. He jumped back, shock causing him to fall backwards and to the ground staring back at the two emeralds staring at him.</p><p>"Oh! I'm so sorry for scaring you! I didn't think I'd scare you! I'd slipped from higher up and landed here. Are you alright?" The boy said, his eyes widened in alarm.</p><p>
  <cite>Didn't think he'd scare me! I think he'd scare anyone like that!</cite>
</p><p>The stranger, with bright, curly red hair, sat on the branch, a leg bent on the branch and the other off, looking down at a shocked Aziraphale with a generally concerned and worried expression painted upon his face</p><p>Aziraphale stood up, dusting himself off and replied, trying to stifle the strong urge to spit out a rage-laced sentence </p><p>"I'm fine." Aziraphale said, finally meeting the eyes of the boy who had unintentionally scared him. </p><p>"You're sure? You look a little dazed" he stated.  The blonde boy simply muttered a response.</p><p>"What's your name?" Aziraphale asked, curiosity drowning his distaste for the stranger.</p><p>"Anthony. What's yours?"</p><p>"Aziraphale."</p><p> <cite>He fell from quite high up then...</cite> Aziraphale thought, staring upwards to the higher branches. <cite> I guess he were lucky to have caught that branch before he hit the ground. I think I'd have been more scared if he had hit the ground...</cite></p><p>The silence was hung in the air, split in half by the enthusiastic yipping of a very excited Cloud-Pup echoing through the trees, gradually getting louder and louder.</p><p> Anthony stared into the direction of the sound, the whipping his head around as if he were hit by the hand of realisation. "You're in my class aren't you? You sit next to Evangelica right at the back."</p><p>"Yes. You sit next to Glace. The boy with the bright blue eyes?" Aziraphale asked politely.</p><p>"Mhm."</p><p>"Why are you sitting in a tree in the middle of the forest?"</p><p>"I Iike to cIimb them sometimes. When my dad's not around, obviously... I think he'd personally mail me to hell if he discovered that I 'trampled on his most prized possession'"</p><p>Suddenly, a blur of white collided with Aziraphale, sending him staggering a good few steps back before regaining his balance and coming to his senses. He recognised the 'blur of white' as nothing more than his own pet Cloudburst, who had stealthily sneaked up on the two while they were having conversation, had pounced on him without warning </p><p>Anthony stood up, holding onto a nearby branch for balance and carefully but swiftly manoeuvred down the tree, observing the fluffy pup who seemed high on thrill barking loudly whilst trying to break free of Aziraphale's soft but firm grip. </p><p>"Can I hold?..." asked Anthony. </p><p>"Hmm? Oh, yes absolutely."</p><p>They sat on a bench nearby, Aziraphale trying to calm down the Cloud-Pup. Once Cloudburst reached a reasonably calm and tranquil state, he handed her over to Anthony in a gingerly manner.</p><p>"Careful though," Aziraphale stated, "She's a bit full of energy"</p><p>Cloudburst seemed to try to twist away from Anthony, thrashing and pushing away. She then relaxed in his hold, as if recognising that Anthony wasn't a threat, nor was Azriaphale abandoning her, and nuzzled in his warm embrace. She remained practically silent for a number of minutes, like she were sleeping, while the two boys continued to conversate. </p><p> Approximately half an hour later, Anthony returned Cloudburst to Aziraphale's arms and decided it was time to leave, explaining that his father was extremely strict with the times he was allowed out of the house, often worried that something could happen to his son while he was unable to protect him from it. </p><p>He walked off towards the direction of his house, only a few blocks away, as Aziraphale and Cloudburst started in the direction of theirs, hoping to return before any family member raised the alarm of their disappearance.</p><p> The door was opened with the delicate twist of the key abd knob and was closed with the same force. The only family awake was Paxton however, the two had an unspoken pact that if either was to ever sneak out, for reasons good or bad, the other wouldn't snitch. Its been this way for as long as either of them could remember. The pact withstood the test of time and probably will in the far future</p><p>Uness something is done to break that trust.<br/>
Something is done to betray the unspoken pact.<br/>
Something is done to weaken their strong bond</p><p>Cloudburst simply moved towards the soft mountain of snow white pillows resembling something just short of a bed and lay on it, being the quietest ever managed previously in the house with the exception of when she was asleep </p><p><cite>Probably exhausted. </cite>he thought to himself.</p><p>Paxton glanced at her in astonishment, then back at Aziraphale as if trying to decipher the events that happened in the early morning.</p><p>"How'd you do that? She's never his quiet..." Paxton stated in disbelief taking a sip of the steaming cup in front of him.</p><p>Aziraphale smiled to himself in satisfaction glancing sideways at the resting Cloudburst almost camouflaging with the white pillows before giving a proud and almost cryptic response</p><p>"I guess she was somewhere she enjoyed."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I appreciate feedback just saying :')<br/>And Kudos. Lots and lots and barells and vaults filled to the brim with Kudos.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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